System and method for credit card lost-and-found notification

ABSTRACT

A method, system, and computer-usable medium for sending a first notification message to a credit card agency alerting the credit card agency of a misplaced credit card, an identification of a credit card owner, and a location of the misplaced credit card; in response to receiving the first notification message, sending a second notification message to the credit card owner corresponding to the misplaced credit card; and in response to receiving the second notification message, specifying a procedure for returning the misplaced credit card to the credit card owner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates in general to the field of data processingsystems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a systemand method for credit card lost-and-found notification.

2. Description of the Related Art

The utilization of credit cards is nearly ubiquitous in today's world.Some examples of common credit card use include the payment of goods orservices via phone or an online store. A credit card is commonly definedas a plastic card that includes a number and a coded magnetic stripe.The credit card, when signed, entitles its bearer to a revolving line ofcredit. The size and interest rate pertaining to the line of credit iscommonly determined by the borrower's income and credit report. The useof credit cards began in the late 1940s when banks issued papercertificates that could be utilized like cash in local stores. The firstreal credit card was issued in 1951 by Franklin National Bank in NewYork.

If a credit card holder accidentally leaves his or her credit card at anestablishment, or loses his or her card, the credit card holder mustretrace his or her steps to determine the last known location of thecredit card. Therefore, there is a need for a system and methodaddressing the above-mentioned limitation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes a method, system, and computer-usablemedium for sending a first notification message to a credit card agencyalerting the credit card agency of a misplaced credit card, anidentification of a credit card owner, and a location of the misplacedcredit card; in response to receiving the first notification message,sending a second notification message to the credit card ownercorresponding to the misplaced credit card; and in response to receivingthe second notification message, specifying a procedure for returningthe misplaced credit card to the credit card owner.

The above, as well as additional purposes, features, and advantages ofthe present invention will become apparent in the following detailedwritten description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are setforth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well asa preferred mode of use, further purposes and advantages thereof, willbest be understood by reference to the following detailed description ofan illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary network in which apreferred embodiment of the present invention may be implemented;

FIG. 1B is a block diagram depicting an exemplary data processing systemin which a preferred embodiment of the present invention may beimplemented; and

FIG. 2 is a flowchart diagram illustrating an exemplary method forcredit card lost-and-found notification according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the figures, and more specifically, referring now toFIG. 1A, there is illustrated a block diagram depicting an exemplarynetwork 100 in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention maybe implemented. As illustrated, network 100 includes a restaurant creditcard terminal 102, wide-area network (WAN) 104, credit card agencyserver 106, and client terminal 108.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, network 100 providesa system in which a credit card owner may retrieve a credit card thatwas accidentally left at a restaurant after a meal. Restaurant creditcard terminal 102 is preferably implemented as a computer interface thatincludes a magnetic card reader for gathering information from themagnetic stripe located on the back of the credit card.

Restaurant credit card terminal 102 is coupled to the other componentsof network 100 via wide-area network (WAN) 104, which is preferablyimplemented as the Internet. Credit card agency server 106 is preferablyimplemented as a computer server that includes at least onecomputer-readable medium that stores information regarding credit cardtransactions and credit card owner information.

Client terminal 108 is preferably implemented as a computer system,telephone, personal data assistant (PDA), or another other devicecapable of coupling to WAN 104 and receive messages from credit cardagency server 106 about lost credit cards.

Referring now to FIG. 1B, there is depicted a block diagram illustratingan exemplary data processing system 150 in which a preferred embodimentof the present invention may be implemented. Those with skill in the artwill appreciate that data processing system 150 may be utilized toimplement restaurant credit card terminal 102, credit card agency server106, client terminal 108, and content provider server 110.

As illustrated, data processing system 150 includes a collection ofprocessing units 152 a-n which are coupled by system interconnect 154.Also coupled to processing units 152 a-n via system interconnect 154 issystem memory 156. Mezzanine interconnect 158 couples systeminterconnect 154 with peripheral interconnect 160.

Those with skill in this art will appreciate that peripheralinterconnect 160 may be implemented as a peripheral componentinterconnect (PCI), accelerated graphics port (AGP), or any otherperipheral bus. Coupled to peripheral interconnect 160 is hard diskdrive 162, which is utilized by data processing system 150 as a massstorage device. Also coupled to peripheral bus 160 is a collection ofperipherals 164 a-n.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that data processing system 150can include many additional components not specifically illustrated inFIG. 1B. Because such additional components are not necessary for anunderstanding of the present invention, they are not illustrated in FIG.2 or discussed further herein. It should also be understood, however,that the enhancements to data processing system 200 for credit cardlost-and-found notification provided by the present invention areapplicable to data processing systems of any system architecture and arein no way limited to the generalized multi-processor architecture orsymmetric multi-processing (SMP) architecture illustrated in FIG. 1B.

With reference now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a flowchart diagramillustrating an exemplary method for credit card lost-and-foundnotification according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. For example, if a credit card owner accidentally leaves hiscredit card at a restaurant, the present invention provides a method ofnotifying the credit card owner of the location of the credit card.

As illustrated in steps 200-202, a first notification message is sentfrom restaurant card terminal 102 to credit card agency server 106 viaWAN 104 that includes a location of the lost credit card and theidentification of the credit card owner. In response to receiving thefirst notification message, credit card agency server 106 sends a secondnotification message to client terminal 108 via WAN 104 (step 204). Thesecond notification message includes an indication that a credit cardbelonging to the credit card owner has been reported lost and thelocation of the lost credit card. Preferably, this second notificationmessage may be an automated message sent via e-mail or phone. Aspreviously discussed, client terminal 108 may be implemented as anydevice capable of connection to WAN 104, including, but not limited to,a phone, a desktop or laptop computer, a personal data assistant (PDA),etc.

After receiving the second notification message, the credit card ownermay determine the requested action to be performed on the missing creditcard. For example, the restaurant may receive a message from the cardowner via client terminal 108 instructing the restaurant employees tohold the credit card for the credit card owner to physically retrievethe credit card (step 208). For security purposes and to discourageunauthorized use of the credit card, the credit card owner may send amessage via client terminal 108 to credit card agency server 106 todeactivate the missing credit card (step 210). Also, the credit cardowner may send a message via client terminal 108 instructing therestaurant employees to send the missing credit card to the credit cardholder via a predetermined or provided address. (step 212). Asillustrated, the process ends at step 214.

As discussed, the present invention includes a method, system, andcomputer-usable medium for sending a first notification message to acredit card agency alerting the credit card agency of a misplaced creditcard, an identification of a credit card owner, and a location of themisplaced credit card; in response to receiving the first notificationmessage, sending a second notification message to the credit card ownercorresponding to the misplaced credit card; and in response to receivingthe second notification message, specifying a procedure for returningthe misplaced credit card to the credit card owner.

It should be understood that at least some aspects of the presentinvention may be alternatively be implemented in a computer-usablemedium that contains a program product. Programs defining functions onthe present invention can be delivered to a data storage system or acomputer system via a variety of signal-bearing media, which include,without limitation, non-writable storage media (e.g., CD-ROM), writablestorage media (e.g., hard disk drive, read/write CD-ROM, optical media),system memory such as, but not limited to Random Access Memory (RAM),and communication media, such as computer and telephone networks,including Ethernet, the Internet, wireless networks, and like networksystems. It should be understood, therefore, that such signal-bearingmedia when carrying or encoding computer-readable instructions thatdirect method functions in the present invention, represent alternativeembodiments of the present invention. Further, it is understood that thepresent invention may be implemented by a system having means in theform of hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware asdescribed herein or their equivalent.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A method of notifying a credit card owner of a misplaced credit cardcomprising: sending a first notification message to a credit card agencyalerting said credit card agency of a misplaced credit card, anidentification of a credit card owner, and a location of said misplacedcredit card; in response to receiving said first notification message,sending a second notification message to said credit card ownercorresponding to said misplaced credit card; and in response toreceiving said second notification message, specifying a procedure forreturning said misplaced credit card to said credit card owner.
 2. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein said second notification message isan automated e-mail message.
 3. The method according to claim 1, whereinsaid second notification message is an automated phone message.
 4. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein said procedure for returningfurther includes: indicating said misplaced credit card is to be held atsaid location of said misplaced credit card to enable said credit cardowner to retrieve said misplaced credit card.
 5. The method according toclaim 1, wherein said procedure for returning further includes: mailingsaid misplaced credit card to said credit card owner utilizing apredetermined address.
 6. The method according to claim 1, furthercomprising: in response to receiving said second notification message,deactivating said misplaced credit card to prevent unauthorized use ofsaid misplaced credit card.
 7. A system comprising: a processor; a databus coupled to said processor; a memory coupled to said data bus; and acomputer-usable medium embodying computer program code, said computerprogram code comprising instructions executable by said processor andconfigured for: sending a first notification message to a credit cardagency alerting said credit card agency of a misplaced credit card, anidentification of a credit card owner, and a location of said misplacedcredit card; in response to receiving said first notification message,sending a second notification message to said credit card ownercorresponding to said misplaced credit card; and in response toreceiving said second notification message, specifying a procedure forreturning said misplaced credit card to said credit card owner.
 8. Thesystem according to claim 7, wherein said second notification message isan automated e-mail message.
 9. The system according to claim 7, whereinsaid second notification message is an automated phone message.
 10. Thesystem according to claim 7, wherein said instructions for saidprocedure for returning further includes instructions configured for:indicating said misplaced credit card is to be held at said location ofsaid misplaced credit card to enable said credit card owner to retrievesaid misplaced credit card.
 11. The system according to claim 7, whereinsaid instructions for said procedure for returning further includesinstructions configured for: mailing said misplaced credit card to saidcredit card owner utilizing a predetermined address.
 12. The systemaccording to claim 7, wherein said instructions are further configuredfor: in response to receiving said second notification message,deactivating said misplaced credit card to prevent unauthorized use ofsaid misplaced credit card.
 13. A computer-usable medium embodyingcomputer program code, said computer program code comprising computerexecutable instructions configured for: sending a first notificationmessage to a credit card agency alerting said credit card agency of amisplaced credit card, an identification of a credit card owner, and alocation of said misplaced credit card; in response to receiving saidfirst notification message, sending a second notification message tosaid credit card owner corresponding to said misplaced credit card; andin response to receiving said second notification message, specifying aprocedure for returning said misplaced credit card to said credit cardowner.
 14. The computer-usable medium according to claim 13, whereinsaid second notification message is an automated e-mail message.
 15. Thecomputer-usable medium according to claim 13, wherein said secondnotification message is an automated phone message.
 16. Thecomputer-usable medium according to claim 13, wherein said computerexecutable instructions for said procedure for returning furtherincludes computer executable instructions configured for: indicatingsaid misplaced credit card is to be held at said location of saidmisplaced credit card to enable said credit card owner to retrieve saidmisplaced credit card.
 17. The computer-usable medium according to claim13, wherein said computer executable instructions for said procedure forreturning further includes computer executable instructions configuredfor: mailing said misplaced credit card to said credit card ownerutilizing a predetermined address.
 18. The computer-usable mediumaccording to claim 13, wherein said embodied computer program codefurther comprises computer executable instructions configured for: inresponse to receiving said second notification message, deactivatingsaid misplaced credit card to prevent unauthorized use of said misplacedcredit card.